A precautionary measure that protects local production
The Municipality of San José has reiterated the validity of a precautionary measure prohibiting mining exploration in the department, in response to a recent permit granted by the Dirección Nacional de Minería y Geología (DINAMIGE) to the company Perforaciones San José SRL. This situation has generated concern in the community, especially among local producers, who fear a negative impact on their agricultural and livestock activities.
The official letter issued by the departmental government, to which our colleagues from the program had access, states ProCampo from Radio 41makes it clear that, according to the Resolution No. 3018 from May 21, 2014there is a "impediment of legal order" to carry out surveys in rural soils. This resolution was enacted in the context of the protection of soils classified as "hazardous". "productive rural". and "natural rural"The company's operations are essential for the department's agriculture and livestock farming.
The precautionary measure arises from the company's intention to Perforaciones San José SRL to explore a vast area of 2,500 hectaress in the areas of Chamizo and San GregorioThe area is currently involved in agriculture, dairy farming and other livestock activities. The objective of the prospecting is to search for mineral deposits such as gold, graphite, lead, zinc and antimony, which has generated a strong rejection from the local community.
The concern of local producers
A few days ago, the San José Rural Association also spoke in defense of the precautionary measure, reminding the owners of the affected land parcels that they are not obliged to allow mining activities on their land.. "The new prospecting management has rekindled concern among producers, who fear for the displacement of their activities and the destruction of their land."he said Agustin AlvarezThe president of the ruralist trade union.
Álvarez recalled that approximately ten years ago, the department of San José had had around 70,000 hectares under prospecting, that is, 13% of its total area. This background fuels current concerns about the impact that a new wave of mining exploration would have on the local economy.
"It is essential to protect our lands, as they are the basis of our production. The possibility of mining prospecting resuming puts at risk not only the economy of producers, but also the food security of the region."added Alvarez. This concern is reflected in a growing sense of territorial defense among the inhabitants of San José, who see mining activities as a threat to their way of life.
Prioritizing agricultural production
The incompatibility between mining activity and agricultural production in San José is not an isolated case, but is part of a broader debate concerning the protection of agricultural production and the rational use of natural resources. The current regulations protecting rural soils are established to ensure the long-term viability of agriculture and livestock farming, which are fundamental pillars of the local economy.
The Municipality of San Jose has emphasized that the categorization of the territory as a "productive rural". o "natural rural" is key for decision making related to the land use. According to its press release, "the rural territory of the Department of San José has been categorized as rural productive or rural natural, which determines that there is a legal impediment to the prospecting, exploration and exploitation of deposits in rural soils of the Department of San José"..
